Let me explain this as simply as I can. See if you can follow this tiny government example.
Your government receives $1000 in taxes each year and has $1000 in expenses. Taxes are predictable and stable. Then, your governing board decides that an item is needed that is outside the budget. Rules prevent them from raising taxes. They could “tighten their belt” and find areas to cut to accommodate the new expense. But instead, they decide it would be easier to borrow $100 for 10 years at a 5% interest rate. Even at simple interest rates, this means that the cost of the money borrowed is $5.00 that first year. The government must increase their expenses by $5.00 that year to cover the interest.
With principal repayment, the government has now created a deficit of $15. They can either hope the rules allow them to raise taxes to balance the budget, or they may have to borrow again to cover the difference.
This example can be expanded by moving the decimal point. A $10,000,000 budget and $1,000,000 in borrowing in the same example brings a burden of $150,000 per year.
Borrowing by our local, county, state and federal government is obviously much more complex. However, complexity does nothing but hide the harmful impacts of governmental borrowing on its citizens.
In Rock County, there is growing unrest and dissatisfaction with high local taxes. In short, citizens can no longer afford them, along with the cost of everything else going up. Rock County overall (including; County, Municipality, School District and Blackhawk Tech taxation) has a tax rate higher than 95% of all counties in the United States based on personal income (tax-rates.org). Why? Research by Rock County First (based on Bureau of Labor and Statistics data), also shows that Rock County residents have fewer dollars to pay those taxes than residents in other WI counties as the per capita personal income in Rock County is $8,657/year below the WI state average. This has led to mounting local debt burden on Rock County citizens as the overall Rock County debt-to-income ratio is 15% higher than the WI state average. (Which once again leads to higher taxes, over time!)
For 2026, Rock County proposes a 7.05% increase in the tax levy while also projecting to increase borrowing by an average of more than nine million dollars each year through 2030. Which will lead to higher taxes over time!
This is an unsustainable path given the stagnant population and modest income growth in our county.
The good news is that you are not powerless! You have a representative at every level. Contact them. Organize groups. Contact them again. If they are unreceptive to your concerns that taxes and borrowing are too high, use the power of your vote to elect representatives that will act upon your concerns.
The one thing none of us should do is shrug our shoulders and look the other way. That ensures only one result: more of your money for them and less for you and your family.
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See RCF’s latest recap of the proposed 2026 County budget, which will be voted upon on November 12th.
Also, see our recent Did You Know document entitled “Rock County Unsustainable Debt and Expenditure Growth (2019-2024)” for more information on how our local spending and taxes are outpacing the ability for local citizens to pay, and the growth of our community.
To learn more and to sign-up for e-updates, go to rockcountyfirst.com, and visit our Facebook page at FB.com/rockcountyfirst.
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RCF’s Mission: Empower the citizens of Rock County to preserve freedom & liberty through education and government accountability.
